I'm Free Falling
by EldestSalvatore
Summary: It's not the cliche white knight that comes in and saves the day. This time it's the dark knight with the piercing baby blues. When Katherine takes her last step she expects to feel the impact of the ground, but instead she's greeted to strong arms holding her and familiar and questioning eyes gazing down at her. Re-vamp of TVD 5x08


Invitation when a person hears the word immediately they picture being at a party of sorts, having a good time and actually enjoying themselves, but for Damon Salvatore invite clearly didn't mean that. For Damon Salvatore being invited to a party pretty much translated to him doing anything but partying.

The first time round Elena had invited him to the Whitmore Ball and he found himself dare he say excited that he'd actually be able to spend time with his girl who had been dodging him ever since finding out about Bonnie's death. Unfortunately for Damon though he had practically attended the party stag seeing as he hadn't shared one dance with Elena, though it had been thrilling to see her getting quite friendly with some loner who had been lingering in the corner.

Now that Bonnie had somewhat returned back to the world of the living Elena and Blondie wanted to celebrate once again Damon was invited to the party, but sadly for him he hadn't even been able to get his foot through the door because Elena had asked him to do an errand and deal with Doctor Wes. Instead of dancing, drinking and making out with his girlfriend like she had promised he was actually injecting any type of nasty disease one could think of to get answers, but unfortunately for him that fun ended the second some Frankenstein type Vampire began to feed on him resulting in Elena having to kill this dejected Vampire.

Though Damon had wanted to at least get a foot in the door he had decided against it the second Caroline began giving him the stink eye and it was easy to tell that she had wanted him dead rather than Jesse. The thought in itself slightly irritated him considering she was doing her best to fault Elena calling her a murderer and he found it quite difficult to bite his tongue back wanting to mention how she had killed twelve innocent witches to save Bonnie, but he fought off the temptation for Elena.

His mood back to Mystic Falls hadn't been his best seeing as he hadn't even spent any of his time with Elena it had pissed him off and seeing as Baby Gilbert had more than made it known that he wouldn't be following Damon back it meant Damon would be the only one home tonight seeing as Stefan would find some excuse to stay away or remain cooped up in his bedroom brooding away. Killing the engine of his car, he removes the keys from the ignition, swinging open the driver's side door and stepping out as he walks across the street towards the Grill. Tonight he had been promised alcohol, and he was going to keep well on that promise even if it was him having to make it happen. Pushing open the glass doors of the Grill he sees Matt behind bussing a few tables as he begins to clean up, his eyes drifting towards Damon as he advances forward, moving past him and towards the bar "we're getting ready to close" he informs him, but that doesn't stop Damon as he follows him, sliding onto the stool and resting his elbows on the bar counter "seeing as we're such good buddies I'm sure you'll make an exception for me."

Placing the bucket down the blonde haired and blue eyed Quarterback lets out a frustrated sigh "look man tonight wasn't a good night….for one I had some passenger using me as it's vessel" he quietly explains as Damon raises his brow "not to mention Katherine stabbed me and it's hurting like a bitch so you can understand why I'd like to get the hell of out here." A smirk pulls up on Damon's lips "oh boo who for you" mocking a pout as he raises his hands up, making a shape and then moving them "see what this is….the worlds tiniest violin…if you want my sympathy it's not happening, I was invited to my girlfriends party promised alcohol, grinding and making out and instead my night consisted of getting fed on by some rejected Vampire but you don't see me pouting so" shaking his hand as he pretends to hold a glass "my drink."

Damon can tell Matt wants to argue with him but instead he shakes his head "you're a dick" he mutters causing Damon's signature smirk to show "and proud of it darling" he shouts out as Matt moves behind the bar to get Damon's deemed signature drink. While he waits on his drink he glances towards the side seeing the black little pay book _Dear Nadia _showing from the slip of paper "is someone confessing their undying love" he muses deciding to look at some light reading material as he flips it open seeing elegant writing on the paper _quite the letter _his brow raising in interest as he reads the line _sorry I had to kill your boyfriend_"confessing to murder" clicking his tongue "that's a new one." The motherly thing to do statement catches his attention and he wonders if she did it out of protection his interest is caught even more as suicide is now mentioned in the statement _I ran from my enemies for 500 years _his eyes widening and deciding to spoil himself he shows his attention to the last part of the letter expecting to see a signature at the bottom but he doesn't. There's only one person that he knows that's been running for five hundred years _Katherine _his attention being snapped as a glass is placed in front of him "what's that" the Quarterback asks as Damon stuffs the letter into his side pocket "giving up" he mutters fishing into his pocket and throwing a couple of bills onto the counter "rain check on the drink" and without another word he's making his way towards the exit.

Entering the crisp night Damon almost flashes off but then he's realizing he has no clue even where to start. _Suicide alright….there's shooting yourself granted if she was to take the wrong shot she might end up brain dead or something…she'd be miserable….she killed herself to become a Vampire by hanging herself because it was quick and easy…and then _his gaze now focusing upwards towards the figure up at the clock tower and it doesn't take a genius to realize who it is recognizing the curls instantly. At first he doesn't move, instead he stays in his spot, watching her, he can see that she's struggling, fighting with herself on if she wants to do this or not and to him it's far from being a Katherine Pierce move, because Katherine Pierce is a fighter not someone who throws the towel in.

_Come on Katherine don't be stupid _he had been greeted to new information in that letter like the fact that she was a mother as in her daughter was actually alive, and yet he still hadn't been able to process it. Damon's gaze never once leaves from the spot watching as she takes a step forward causing him to take one himself, but then he sees her fall back against the bricks, and he thinks she's realizing how foolish she's being _good girl _but she surprises him even more as she turns around and by this time it's like someone else has possessed him as he flashes from his spot, breaking new speed he didn't think was even possible. It's like slow motion as he watches her body descend closer to the ground _no way in hell are you dying._He's already waiting for her, gaze cast upwards, and arms outstretched ready to accept her, closer and closer she comes and she's probably thinking at this point in time she'll be shaking hands with the Grim Reaper himself _another time _he thinks as he effortlessly catches her in his arms, keeping her cradled as he remains silent for a moment observing her, and even with her eyes closed the vulnerability on her expression is so obvious. Confused and pained hazel orbs open finally meeting his curious blues and he can see the surprise reflecting in her eyes "I think you're taking the I believe I can Fly song to a whole other level" a hint of teasing in his tone, but even he can't hide the annoyance he feels that she had actually thought to go through with this "mind telling me what the hell you were thinking?"

One step and this would all be over. Katherine Pierce would finally meet her ending and not done by her enemy but herself. The town of Mystic Falls below her as every fool went about their lives not even aware of the woman who had gone mad standing at the clock tower waiting to make the final step. There had been a time when she had killed herself it wasn't a cowardly move because it had made her a survivor, but this, this was the cowards move because she found herself too weak to face her own problems. Casting her gaze down below she allowed her feet to dangle over the edge before drawing it back in fear as her hands braced firmly against the bricks behind her.

This was silly no scratch that pathetic because she had faced countless dangerous situations and here she stood clinging to the wall. Shaking her head she carefully pivots so that her back is now facing the town and without another thought she allows herself to free fall as her body drops to the ground.

Splat that's what she had been expecting upon impact, and her body had hit something solid but it wasn't the ground. Was she dead? Why wasn't she screaming in pain? Her eyes that had been tightly shut she slowly forced to open wanting to know the answer to her own question. Once her eyes were fully open she was greeted to a pair of eyes she had expected never to look into again, a piercing blue that she knew anywhere _Damon. _

Why the hell was Damon here? Why had he saved her? If anything she had expected him to be seated first row with popcorn in hand watching the final act, but instead here she was cradled in his arms looking up at him in complete shock and confusion. Her mouth opened only to be shut as she heard his teasing comment and she knew by this he was trying to bring lightness into this dark situation, but darkness soon clouded over the second she heard the demand in his tone.

"I was having such a joyful night that I felt I could do anything including fly so I decided to give it a shot" she dismissively says trying to keep her expression hardened, but having difficultly as she recalls the last few minutes of what would have been the end of her life.

With the way Katherine began to fidget in his arms it didn't take a genius to read what she wanted as he takes the hint gently setting her feet on the ground, silent for a few moments as he studies her.

Hearing Katherine's sarcastic quip only irritating him at the fact that she wasn't being brave enough to face what was standing right in front of her. Deciding that enough is enough he reaches into the side of his jacket pocket retrieving the reason that had brought him on this search in the first place. "I assume this joyful trip then was because of the fact that you have a daughter" he asks with a raised brow as he lifts the letter in front of him.

All color that had been on Katherine's face disappearing knowing that Damon now knows her dirty little secret. Scowling at him as she tries to reach for the letter only for Damon to mockingly pull it back keeping it out of her reach "you know reading someone's mail is a federal offence."

A rich chuckle escaping him as amusement dances on his dark expression "well then it's a good thing I'm known for not being a law abiding citizen."

Not in the mood to stand here and be ridiculed by him "what do you want Damon?"

"I want to know what the hell was going through your mind when you decided you wanted to go through with ending your own life" any amusement on his expression now gone. "I want to know why the all mighty Katherine Pierce was so willing to give up on the life she's been fighting five hundred years for."

No, there was no way in hell that Katherine was going to spill her sob story to Damon. Maybe if she kept quiet he'd take the hint and go, but one look at him and it was easy to see that wouldn't be happening soon. Damon was standing his ground and he wouldn't be leaving until she came clean. "Where should I start then Damon hm" arching her perfectly manicured brow as she takes a step forward "the part where I fail as a mother" trying to ignore the sting in her chest as she says it "or the part where I'm dying?"

Dying? That had peeked his interest causing the usual talkative vampire to fall silent for a moment before nodding it off "oh cut the dramatics Katherine I get it you aren't all gun hoe about being human but you still have years to go before the wrinkles start showing."

"I was turned into a vampire over five hundred years ago now that I'm human thanks to my lovely doppelganger and you" bitterness laced in her voice "time is catching up on me" she explains shaking her head "I've survived Klaus, originals, witches, a pesky hybrid and everything else you can think of and my death is going to be because of old age."

If a pin dropped it could be heard by both of them even Katherine's human ears as Damon remained eerily silent letting everything Katherine had just said be processed. "How long do you have" finally breaking the silence as he keeps his eyes trained on her.

"Six months give or take" she says with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Six months" he repeats "six months" he says again "so you still have hope of finding something that might save you or at least time to make up for your wrong doings like oh say fixing things between you and your daughter and instead you decide to take the easy way out….typical."

"This isn't a lifetime movie Damon" she spats "this isn't some hallmark movie were my good deeds will make up for my bad ones….I've done horrible things and the time I've had with my daughter I screwed up on….she's better without me….I figured you of all people would agree on that."

"Me of all people" he scoffs taking a bold step forward so that they are now face to face "thought you of all people weren't a coward….that you were a fighter, a survivor" he hisses between clenched teeth. "Better you die than I right" he asks cocking his brow to the side "where is that woman?"

"That woman is tired" she shouts of throwing her hands in the air in surrender before her hands set against his chest using all the strength she has pushing him back. "She's tired because she ran for over five hundred years and for what nothing….absolutely nothing and right now all she wants to do is rest."

Not able to hold the growl from within the back of his throat as it escapes him "she chose to run….she chose to have nothing because every awful thing she had done pushed any fraction of goodness and happiness away….she chose that life."

Hearing everything that Damon had said knocking her back, not having the strength or patience to argue with him as she turns her back to him hoping that he will take the hint and leave her be.

Knowing exactly her game but not giving in as he approaches her, placing his hands on her shoulders and turning her around to face him. Hesitantly and with great caution he reaches out to frame her face in his hands, the pad of his thumbs gliding over her cheeks "but she chose that life because she always chose herself…she valued the life she had and because of it she did whatever means necessary to keep that life….she loved herself enough to fight….because she was a survivor, and a damn good one at that."

Stunned didn't even come close to it Katherine had been shocked at Damon's gentle action, but now he had stunned her by his statement. As if on autopilot her hands reach up placing them atop of his "Damon" she half whispers at a loss for what to say.

Removing his hands from hers as he walks backwards a couple of steps his eyes remaining intently trained on her "when you find that woman again come find me because I'd be willing to help her because she was right."

Damon's cryptic statement causing Katherine's brow to raise as she curiously looks at him hoping that he will expand more.

Recalling the time he had first encountered her in his parlor at the end of the summer "somewhere in this mushy and gushy heart of mine I don't want you to die."

Deciding not to give Katherine the chance to say anything else and knowing he had divulged more than he wanted he flashes his signature smirk before disappearing off into the night leaving a more than confused and surprised Katherine behind.

Standing frozen in her spot Katherine's gaze remains fixed on the spot that Damon had just been standing at.

"Damon Salvatore" she whispers casting her gaze up towards the clock tower that she moments ago had jumped off of only to be saved by the man she had thought hated her. Katherine's ever present smirk forming "who would have thought" she whispers to herself before turning her back away from the tower walking off into the night allowing herself thanks to Damon to live another day.


End file.
